After their massive 42-14 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Virginia Cavaliers (2-0) had three players recognized for their play. Junior quarterback Brennan Armstrong, junior tight end Jelani Woods, and senior center Olusegun Oluwatimi were all named as ACC Players of the Week for their respective position groups.
For Armstrong, this is the second week this season he has been named to the list, as he was named Co-Quarterback of the Week with Boston College’s Phil Jurkovec last week. He threw for 405 yards, ranking fourth in school history for passing yards in a game. Along with this, Armstrong had a career-high five passing touchdowns and completed 27 of 36 passes. Through the first two weeks of the season, Armstrong ranks fifth in the nation in passing yards with 744, adding seven touchdowns to one interception. The many weapons in the receiving corps, experienced offensive line, and improved accuracy and decision-making from Armstrong have all aided in, what has been so far, a breakout season for the quarterback.
After an early Week 1 exit against the William & Mary Tribe that saw him have one reception for five yards, Jelani Woods was named ACC Receiver of the Week. The tight end, who was predominantly used as a blocker at Oklahoma State, was primed for a big receiving game early. He was targeted twice on the first drive, bringing in both passes for 63 yards and a score. He was able to use his size and speed to expose mismatches in the middle of the field and fight for extra yardage. Woods would end the game with five receptions, and a career-high 122 yards, and the opening touchdown. Woods should continue to play a key role in the receiving game, something that should be different and exciting for him at the college level.
Senior center Olusegun Oluwatimi was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, as he played all offensive snaps for the Hoos in the middle. The UVA offensive line allowed zero sacks, one quarterback hit, and nine quarterback hurries on 40 pass attempts. According to Pro Football Focus, Oluwatimi was graded at 83.9 in run blocking and 83.4 in pass blocking. Pro Football Focus measures how well a player performs on every play, and the player is rated on a scale of 0 to 100 based on their production for the game. The offensive line together was rated at 62.2 in run blocking and 78.6 in pass blocking. Comparing the grades between Oluwatimi and the offensive line, the center was crucial to the team’s blocking performance, which was evident by the coaching staff’s trust to play him on every down. He also had nine pancake blocks and was a vital part for the Hoos to gain 556 total yards.
The offense looks to be rolling, as they are tied for 13th in the nation in points per game. Based on these weekly awards, the country is starting to acknowledge how well the offensive unit has played on all facets of the game. They will travel to Chapel Hill for their first conference game, as they take on the 21st ranked North Carolina Tar Heels (1-1) on September 18th at 7:30 P.M.
